Our local fall festivals offer so many opportunities to explore interesting and diverse flavors when it comes to food and learning about other cultures.
The Bratwurst, sauerkraut and spätzle that can be found at any of the Oktoberfest events are old, familiar friends and the Köfte at the Turkish Festival is another pal I look forward to reacquainting myself with.
Sure there are parties being planned around favorite foods like pretzels, apples, chocolate and potatoes, but I highly encourage you to expand your dining horizons with some of the opportunities that will present themselves this fall to explore authentic cuisine from around the world.
These festivals not only offer the opportunity to learn about and celebrate different cultures and their traditional foods, but learning about and supporting our multicultural neighbors with ties around the globe.
Not all of these festivals are built around food, but food is a big part of them all.
Go to the festivals you love this fall, but consider something that will expand your palate and your knowledge of something you may not be familiar with. Food is a universal way to find understanding and common ground in a world that only seems to continue to get more complicated.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THESE FALL FESTIVALS
Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 28: Ohio Renaissance Festival
10542 E. State Route 73, Waynesville
>> 30 ways to celebrate the Ohio Renaissance Festival’s 30th year
Sept. 20: Yellow Cab Food Rally
700 E. Fourth St., Dayton
Sept. 20-22: Ohio Fish and Shrimp Festival
Freshwater Farms of Ohio
2624 U.S.-68, Urbana
Sept. 21: Bites in the Heights
The Rose Music Center at the Heights
6800 Executive Blvd., Huber Heights
Credit: David Moodie
Credit: David Moodie
Sept. 21-22: Preble County Pork Festival
Preble County Fairgrounds
722 S. Franklin St., Eaton
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Sept. 22: Turkish Food Festival
Turkish American Society of Ohio
2601 E. Fourth St., Dayton
Sept. 27-29: Oktoberfest
Dayton Art Institute
456 Belmonte Park N., Dayton
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Sept. 28-29: Germantown Pretzel Festival
Veterans Memorial Playground
190 W. Warren St., Germantown
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Sept. 28-29: Tipp City Mum Festival
Tipp City Park
200 Parkwood Dr., Tipp City
Credit: David Moodie
Credit: David Moodie
Sept. 28-29: Country Applefest, Lebanon
Warren County Fairgrounds
665 N. Broadway St., Lebanon
Oct. 5: 17th Annual Chocolate Festival
Montgomery County Fair & Fairgrounds
645 Infirmary Road, Dayton
Credit: Tom Gilliam Photography for Dayton.com
Credit: Tom Gilliam Photography for Dayton.com
Oct. 5-6: Fall Farm Pumpkin Festival at Youngs
6880 Springfield-Xenia Rd., Yellow Springs
Credit: AMY FORSTHOEFEL
Credit: AMY FORSTHOEFEL
Oct. 5-6: Midwest Outdoor Experience
Eastwood MetroPark
1385 Harshman Rd., Dayton
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Oct. 5-6: Spring Valley Potato Festival
Bledsoe Park at Thompson Pavilion, Spring Valley
Oct. 6: Arts, Beats and Eats
Dayton Art Institute
456 Belmonte Park N., Dayton
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Oct. 13-14: Sauerkraut Festival, Waynesville
Downtown Historic Waynesville
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